Rick Vito : biography

October 13, 1949 -

Richard F. "Rick" Vito (born October 13, Darby, Pennsylvania) is a guitarist and singer. He was part of the band Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991. Vito took over as lead guitarist after Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac. He is best known for his blues and slide guitar style, whose influences include Elmore James, Robert Nighthawk, B.B. King, Alvino Rey, Les Paul, Mohan Bhatt, George Harrison and Keith Richards.

Vito has been a featured player on Bob Seger's albums since 1986. He played the famous slide guitar solo on the Bob Seger song and Chevy truck ad, "Like a Rock". He was a long-standing member of Bonnie Raitt's touring band in the 1990s. Rick also played with John Mayall, Jackson Browne, Little Richard, Roger McGuinn, Bobby Whitlock, Dobie Gray, John Fogerty, Delaney & Bonnie, Albert Collins, Dolly Parton, and Maria Muldaur, and others. Vito tours often in Europe with his own band. He produced rockabilly singer Rosie Flores' CD, "Speed of Sound." His CD/DVD production collaboration with Mick Fleetwood, Blue Again! was Grammy nominated in 2010. Vito is also the recipient of the W.C. Handy Blues Award.

Filmography

Jealousy (1984) (TV) Singer

The Last Castle (2001) Red Team leader

Firewall (2006) (songwriter and performer: "She's So Crazy")

"Angel Eyes" (2005) songwriter, "It's 2 A.M."

Discography

1969 as lead guitarist with THE WRIGHT BROTHERS unreleased 4-song E.P. recorded/produced by colleague NEIL KEMPFER-STOCKER.

With Fleetwood Mac

1988 Greatest Hits

1990 Behind the Mask

1992 25 Years – The Chain

2006 The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac

Solo albums

1992 King Of Hearts

1996 Bluestown

1998 Pink & Black

2000 Lucky Devils

2001 Crazy Cool

2003 Band Box Boogie

2005 Rattlesnake Shake

2006 Talk That Talk

2009 " Lucky In Love; The Best of Rick Vito

2009 Blue Again! - Mick Fleetwood Blues Band featuring Rick Vito

Guest performances

1972 Something/Anything? – Todd Rundgren

1972 Raw Velvet – Bobby Whitlock

1973 "All I See Is You" - Rabindra Danks

1975 New Year, New Band, New Company – John Mayall

1975 Common Sense – John Prine

1975 Change – Spanky and Our Gang

1975 Notice to Appear – John Mayall

1976 Banquet in Blues – John Mayall

1976 Prime Prine – John Prine

1976 Street Talk – Bob Crewe

1977 Playing to an Audience Of One – David Soul

1977 Thunderbyrd – Roger McGuinn

1978 Kissin in the California Sun – Katy Moffatt

1978 Randy Richards – Randy Richards

1979 High and Outside – Steve Goodman

1979 Open Your Eyes – Maria Muldaur

1980 Blue Delicacies – Ronnie Barron

1980 No More Interviews – John Mayall

1982 Fast Times at Ridgemont High Soundtrack – Jackson Browne

1982 Green Light – Bonnie Raitt

1982 The Perfect Stranger – Jesse Colin Young

1982 Revenge Will Come – Greg Copeland

1982 Walk On – Karen Brooks

1983 Lawyers in Love – Jackson Browne

1983 Tell Me the Truth – Timothy B Schmit

1984 Inside the Fire – Rita Coolidge

1985 One Heart at a Time – Don Francisco

1986 Like a Rock – Bob Seger

1986 Lives in the Balance – Jackson Browne

1987 A Very Special Christmas – Bob Seger

1987 Rainbow – Dolly Parton

1989 Mystery Girl – Roy Orbison

1989 Rock Rhythm & Blues – Various

1990 Gypsy Moon – Troy Newman

1990 Brent Bourgeois – Brent Bourgeois

1991 The Fire Inside – Bob Seger

1992 Born to Rock and Roll – Roger McGuinn

1993 Great Days: John Prine Anthology – John Prine

1994 Craig Shoemaker Meets the Lovemaster – Craig Shoemaker

1994 Greatest Hits – Bob Seger

1994 Meet Me at Midnite – Maria Muldaur

1995 It's a Mystery – Bob Seger

1995 All Day Thumbsucker Revisited – Various

1996 Not Alone – Thomas Jefferson Kaye

1997 The Next Voice You Hear: The Best of Jackson Browne – Jackson Browne